2 AM
by PracticalDreams
Summary: "He screwed over this man's stepson and humiliated his biological son and might have stolen some parts from his tire shop once when he was drunk although that's a little hazy." But Puck still needed Burt Hummel's help.


_This was originally going to be a 3+1 fic about Burt being a Papa Bear and it became more of a Hudmel story in general. Completely un-betaed so advice or corrections are totally welcome!_

Burt Hummel doesn't like Noah Puckerman. He knows it, Finn and Kurt know it, and Puck sure as hell knows it too. He's done a few too many things to Burt's loved ones to be forgiven for a couple of kind words and an end to dumpster dives. Something more will have to happen before Burt sees anything more than an overindulged little boy kicking shins for attention.

It's 2 AM when that happens. It's quiet in the Hudmel house, for once, and Burt's sleeping hard and snoring peacefully. Until someone starts to knock. Tentatively at first, and then more desperately until Burt comes swinging out of bed and thumping down the stairs, swearing quietly under his breath. If it's another goddamn prank that's waking him up then Burt won't be responsible for the consequences.

But when he opens the door, he sees Noah Puckerman standing there, more humbly then Burt had ever imagined possible. Because he's also holding a little girl and she's crying, and oh god Puck is_ bleeding_.

"Puckerman? What the hell is going on here? Is that your little sister? What the hell?" Burt sounded gruffer than he meant to with surprise and exhaustion.

Puck winces. "Calm down, please. She's already freaked." Puck looks at Burt standing there and thinks maybe he's crazy. He screwed over this man's stepson and humiliated his biological son and might have stolen some parts from his tire shop once when he was drunk although that's a little hazy. But Sarah whimpers and Puck realizes that there is nowhere else to go.

"Can we...god. Can we stay here tonight?" Puck's voice cracks a little and he hates himself for it but he's scared they'll be stuck at the bus station like last time.

Burt stares at him for a moment and doesn't even remember the dumpster stains on Kurt's clothes. It's crazy because Puckerman is an over-bulked, over-tanned asshole like all the ones on the Jersey show that Santana girl makes Kurt watch, but he sees Kurt standing there instead. Afraid and admitting something that could end in disaster. But Puck isn't coming out- he's asking to actually come in, and Burt's still staring at him.

"Sure, sure," he mumbles. "Come in." Carole's standing in the living room as Puck squeezes past.

"Burt?" She says, confused. "Noah Puckerman?" And she stops when she sees the sobbing girl. "Oh, sweetie..." and she crosses the room and takes her from Puck. She reaches out for her brother and starts to cry harder. Puck moves quickly to grab her, whispering something softly in her ear.

"You can put her in the guest room, Puckerman," Burt says gruffly. "Down the hall."  
>Puck nods and trudges away. Burt and Carole stare horrified at each other for a moment as they hear Puck calm the little girl down and tuck her in. He slinks back in, looking even more beaten down.<p>

"Thanks, Mr. Hummel. And Mrs. Hudson." Puck doesn't really know what to say, so Burt realizes it's his time to speak.

"Puckerman...what the hell happened?" Sensitivity, Burt knows, is not his strength.

"It's really not-"

"Not what, Noah?" Carole interjects. "You're bleeding, Sarah's crying, it's two in the morning! _What. Happened."_

Puck doesn't seem to know how to handle angry Carole. Angry Burt he has too much experience with, but Carole is a whole new type of demanding.

"Look," he says tensely, running a hand through his Mohawk in frustration. "My mom gets kind of out of it, you know? And she gets a little...angry. She kinda flipped tonight and when I got mad back she told me to get out and I couldn't leave Sarah but there isn't anywhere else we can stay since my car broke down and I just thought-" He seemed to be rushing to push it all out before he stopped.

"Noah." Carole stopped him firmly, masking her horror. "Since my car broke down" can only mean this has happened before. This boy came to all of Finn's birthday parties and taught him to throw a football when she couldn't and he had been sleeping _in his car_. "It's alright now. Why don't we...why don't we talk more in the morning? And oh, you're bleeding there above your eyebrow still. Let me get something." She bustled off to the kitchen, leaving Burt standing there looking at Puck.

"Mr. Hummel I know you don't like me," Puck said in a low, defeated voice. "So, um, thank you. We can leave in the morning first thing, before Finn or Kurt get up. This is more than enough." He starts to shuffle toward the kitchen, looking worn through.

Burt blinks at him once. This kid standing here, it's like he's never seen him before. He's so broken down and small, but also more mature than Burt would have imagined is possible. Usually he wants to put the fear of God in this boy but right now he just wishes he knew how to make him feel better.

"Puckerman?" Puck turned slowly. "Stay as long as you need. Some of Kurt's old clothes will fit Sarah- he liked princesses, we still have the old shirts for some reason. I'll look through them in the morning." It's hard enough for Burt to say how he feels to his son, although he makes himself do it. All he can say to Puck is this and hope he understand the respect lying beneath the words.

Puck breathes deeply and smiles. Not grins cockily but smiles at Burt and tentatively extends his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Hummel."

Burt takes it, gives him a firm shake, and begins to walk towards the stairs as Carole comes back with disinfectant and a Band-Aid. Although, he mused, since the kid was sleeping in his house it might be good to remind him who was in charge.

"Oh, and Puckerman? That haircut still makes you look like a delinquent idiot."

"Gotcha, sir."

Sarah woke Puck up early despite their late night, complaining of being hungry. Puck didn't think he should go and just start taking food from the kitchen and tried to stall as she became more and more antsy. Finally he swooped her up and walked down the hall, hoping to find some cereal or something else cheap and easy.

As it was only seven AM he didn't expect that anyone would be up. So he almost dropped Sarah with surprise when he turned into the living room and saw Kurt doing sun salutations in silk pajamas.

Puck stood paralyzed, wondering if he should turn around or say something. Then Sarah yawned sloppily and said, in a clear, unmistakable voice, "Hi. Do you have Cheerios?"

Kurt had been bending to touch his toes. At Sarah's words he jerked forward with shock and barely caught himself with his palms. He twirled around and stared, at Noah Puckerman standing in his hallway.  
>"What...?" Kurt seemed at a loss for words. Puck blushed a little, embarrassingly. He and Kurt were bros now, but there was a time when Kurt probably would have called the cops if he saw Puck in his house.<br>"Hi, Kurt. I- well we- me and Sarah, that is-" Puck was stammering, trying to explain. Sarah wriggled down as if she too was embarrassed by her brother's awkwardness.  
>"I'm hungry," she declared. Puck knew after a scare Sarah was likely to be a little brattier. It made him feel like a shitty guardian, the way she already tried to be tough and too cool like her older brother.<br>Kurt watched them, seeming to be dazed, but he was actually observing more than he was letting on. He saw the cut above Puck's eye and the dried tear tracks on Sarah's cheeks. He remembered a few things Finn had mentioned about Puck, suddenly. Passing comments that now seemed too significant, too terrible but also too easy to believe.

_"Puck's dad wasn't around either so he gets it."_  
><em>"I think he's taking care of Sarah tonight."<em>

Sarah is at his feet now and he looks at her, stubborn-lipped and very similar to Puck. He smiles, tentatively- Kurt knows very little about children but this seemed right.

"I was going to make pancakes. But you might need to help," Kurt says tentatively. He's rewarded by her gap-toothed grin, an echo of Puck's knowing smirk.

"Yes! Pancakes! Please?" Sarah gasps, excited and energetic despite the early hour.

She runs through to the kitchen and Kurt looks at Puck. Neither boy says a word. Puck nods, slowly, conveying the thousands of thanks he owes this family. Kurt bends his head slightly in acknowledgement and turns to go help Sarah.

Puck stands in the archway of the hall for a moment longer. He has no idea where they might be a week from now, what his mom is doing, how he's going to make ends meet. He knows Sarah's still confused and upset and he has one bag of stuff. But right then, with Kurt making pancakes and Burt's footsteps beginning to sound softly upstairs, he thinks it might work out. 


End file.
